The issue of corruption in governance has gripped the nation's conscience quite drastically with the Anna movement. Suddenly people in general have become more demanding of the government on this front. But we must ask whether this one dimensional approach, solely seeking administrative reforms, is the right approach? Is that sufficient or even possible when one of the most powerful means of shaping public opinion lies open in the market for powerful people to play with? This uni-dimensional way certainly cannot be a wholesome approach towards a true democracy, because true democracy can flourish only when information related to all kinds of administrative affairs can free flow to people without any filter of prejudice or attachment.
There are four pillars of democracy, as they say, and one of them is media. While administrative, judicial and police reforms are undoubtedly required, we should not forget this fourth pillar of the democracy, through which people come to form their opinion over issues.
It is folly to believe that media self-regulates. That is absolutely untrue. Neither it does, nor will it ever do. The only possible solution is to have an independent constitutional body look into its affairs, without micro-managing it, but having jurisdiction over it and the provision to take up public complaints against it.
If we understand why with the Jan Lokpal movement, the need for CBI's independence has been accentuated, then we should also understand that the same need applies equally well on independent regulation of media. If we yearn for a strong and vibrant democracy, we need to keep a simple fact in mind that without a free and fair media we can never really achieve that. Without true and complete information flowing to the people, people will confront each other over issues because they have been fed misinformation. The spread of misinformation and distortion of facts has divided Indians over their own past and present. In fact, Indian media is being used to ensure that this divide remains, so that it is easy to polarize voters and followers.
What is the state of the media today? It is neck deep in corruption, for the simple reason that these are private profit seeking entities who can easily be twisted and controlled either by money power or by administrative powers, mostly money is enough reason. This is explained quite explicitly in a documentary video called Brokering News (© Prasar Bharati Corporation, 2011).
What are the implications of media being corrupt? Biased reporting, propaganda news, lack of investigative journalism, spread of misinformation, distortion of facts and the very basis of how people can form an opinion over an issue is severely threatened. Can we then really say that this nation is really a democracy when people at large cannot make informed decisions? Are we paying attention to the damage the present media has done and is doing to the nation?
We need to stand up now and demand that with the CBI under Lokpal, media should also come under its authority. The very necessity of taking CBI away from government's clutches is also resoundingly applicable to the media. And while I am not opposed to commercial media running in parallel, a section of media guided by the free and fair principles of an independent constitutional body can enable us to keep its functioning transparent and accountable to the people.
Let us deliberate upon this necessity and spread the word, or do whatever is necessary to bring this issue to the forefront.
There are four pillars of democracy, as they say, and one of them is media. While administrative, judicial and police reforms are undoubtedly required, we should not forget this fourth pillar of the democracy, through which people come to form their opinion over issues.
It is folly to believe that media self-regulates. That is absolutely untrue. Neither it does, nor will it ever do. The only possible solution is to have an independent constitutional body look into its affairs, without micro-managing it, but having jurisdiction over it and the provision to take up public complaints against it.
If we understand why with the Jan Lokpal movement, the need for CBI's independence has been accentuated, then we should also understand that the same need applies equally well on independent regulation of media. If we yearn for a strong and vibrant democracy, we need to keep a simple fact in mind that without a free and fair media we can never really achieve that. Without true and complete information flowing to the people, people will confront each other over issues because they have been fed misinformation. The spread of misinformation and distortion of facts has divided Indians over their own past and present. In fact, Indian media is being used to ensure that this divide remains, so that it is easy to polarize voters and followers.
What is the state of the media today? It is neck deep in corruption, for the simple reason that these are private profit seeking entities who can easily be twisted and controlled either by money power or by administrative powers, mostly money is enough reason. This is explained quite explicitly in a documentary video called Brokering News (© Prasar Bharati Corporation, 2011).
What are the implications of media being corrupt? Biased reporting, propaganda news, lack of investigative journalism, spread of misinformation, distortion of facts and the very basis of how people can form an opinion over an issue is severely threatened. Can we then really say that this nation is really a democracy when people at large cannot make informed decisions? Are we paying attention to the damage the present media has done and is doing to the nation?
We need to stand up now and demand that with the CBI under Lokpal, media should also come under its authority. The very necessity of taking CBI away from government's clutches is also resoundingly applicable to the media. And while I am not opposed to commercial media running in parallel, a section of media guided by the free and fair principles of an independent constitutional body can enable us to keep its functioning transparent and accountable to the people.
Let us deliberate upon this necessity and spread the word, or do whatever is necessary to bring this issue to the forefront.
Yes ..the media needs regulation in India because it is in the cluthes of an obscenely corrupt govt...which mainly derives its power from blackmailing tactics that it can use over opponents and allies by misusing the CBI and police force...IF these two arms of our democracy are genuinely free...the ruling dispensation will lose its absolute power...and hence the leverage on media will also be reduced
ReplyDeleteExactly, the problem in India is that both money and investigative powers rests in the hands of one class of people. They have formed a formidable herd and use these powers vested in them to serve their lowly interests. And unfortunately, people can't see through this.
ReplyDeleteJefferson said media without a govt is better than a govt without the media. History has time and again proved the unassailable importance of freedom of the press. Indian Media has sunk to abysmal levels. No doubt!! But, its freedom must be guarded for only then can it be effective as the forth pillar. Therefore, all talk of regulation be weighed against this danger. A chaotic, bad, weak media is better than a fettered one. Finally, people know which newspaper to believe which not to. India is a beacon of free expression surrounded by neighbors like China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Burma. Bangladesh which are nowhere close to being democratic or their media being free. Our Constitution has taken care of all situations & players, but Indians need to get out of their passivity and now fight for their rights. ( I teach Media Research and "" at the Xavier's Institute of Communication in Mumbai besides being a free lancer.)
ReplyDeleteThank you for your insight, Kamini ji. But I am inclined to disagree. All sections of democracy, in one way or another, are to be regulated. In fact, the conduct of the citizens itself is regulated.
DeleteThe whole point of framing a constitution system is to maintain the necessary checks and balances at all places. There is nothing called absolute freedom for any section of the society or sections of the democratic system, then why should media be an exception. The simplest of idea of democracy tells us that democratic institutions must always be inter-dependent in order to have necessary fallbacks in place. No institution, including the courts, should have lose ends in democracy.
Injustices in courts have made lives of scores of people hell. We can't even know about them, because only the prominent ones make to news. All this because, courts are subject no scrutiny. If a judge can dismiss a plea of as eminent a person as Dr Subramanian Swamy in a blatant disregard of justice and without given any reasons, just imagine the plight of common folks.
Media, on the other hand, has helped fabricate the mental state of Indians. They are now more or less tamed. So the basic idea of democratic institutions to always be inter-watched is vital.
Also, I am not talking of active regulation of media. I only want a watchdog over its head. And I want the Lokpal to be its watchdog that in my view must always consist of eminent people of the society.